


Spark From The Inland III: The Runaway

by PolarisTheYoungWolf



Series: Teen Wolf/5-0: Stiles McGarrett [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: BAMF Stiles, Camping, Family Feels, I'm Bad At Tagging, On the Run, Parent Steve McGarrett, Steve only likes Danny's ties, Stiles is a badass kid, Stiles is a kid, Stiles is cunning, Team as Family, Team is impressed with Stiles's abilities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 07:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6365506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolarisTheYoungWolf/pseuds/PolarisTheYoungWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles runs away from his foster family, avoids the law, camps out in the woods, and sends a message to Steve through Kamekona. </p><p>Things aren't necessarily resolved, but it's a step closer to Stiles and Steve being a family again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spark From The Inland III: The Runaway

"Whoa, look at you, all clean and spiffy. And...is that one of my ties?" Danny asked as Steve came into view. 

Steve adjusted his outfit, even if he knew how to dress up for when the occasion called for it, he still preferred t-shirts, jeans, and combat boots. "I couldn't find a clean one, so yeah, it's one of yours. I got a court hearing for Stiles's custody and I need to look responsible. So...how do I look?"

"Presentable." Danny agreed after Steve gave a twirl. "Any luck on finding out exactly _where_ Stiles is living and with whom?"

Steve sighed, "No. They apparently don't think I wouldn't just...go after him!"

"Well, we both know that's true."

" _Still_! Stiles has only been in Hawaii for a few months. He's still adjusting, still grieving over his dad. He shouldn't be torn away when he was barely settling in!" Steve cried.

"And I agree. And if you feel compelled to let the people who are dealing with this case know also, I suggest pulling back a bit on the intensity. Remember...calm, good, nurturing adult who can take care of another life that is very young and impressionable. Okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Steve nodded. "Calm and collected. For Stiles."

"That's right. For Stiles."

* * *

 

The door to Steve's office slammed shut and through the glass it was clear that Steve was taking out his aggression on his supplies. Danny came in looking dejected and as miserable as Steve was angry.

"I'm almost not sure if I should ask." Chin commented.

Danny sighed, "No one really seems to be impressed with Steve's behavior as of late. And no matter the cases we do and by the book, as it stands, Steve still doesn't have custody and they aren't opening up Stiles's file to us, so we can't even visit him."

"What about your end?"

"Well..." Danny ran a hand through his hair, "It's a process. So far, I think I'm doing better than Steve, but it's as slow as molasses. And we know that patience has never really been his virtue."

"I just hope wherever he is, Stiles is doing alright..." Chin said and Danny nodded. 

* * *

 

 _"Steve, a bunch of case workers were just here and did a sweep of the place."_ Chin said over the phone.

"What? Why?" Steve demanded, confused.

_"I don't know but they were looking for you."_

Before Steve could reply, there was a knock on the door. "I'll call you back later, Chin."

He pocketed his phone as he opened the door and saw the social worker who was in charge of Stiles's case. Steve's eyes narrowed immediately, "What are you doing here?"

"Where is he, Mr. McGarrett?" The social worker asked. 

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific, and it's Commander McGarrett." Steve corrected. 

"I'm not playing games here, _Commander_. Where is Stiles?"

"What do you mea- Stiles is gone?!" Steve pulled the social worker inside and had him pressed up against the closed door, "You got two seconds to elaborate on your definition of 'Stiles being gone'!" 

The social worker eyed Steve critically through a glare before wheezing out, "He's not in his foster home...hasn't been for a while."

"How long is a while!?" Steve demanded, pushing the social worker harder into the door, even raising him off of the ground a bit.

* * *

 

"Stiles has been gone from his foster home about a week, give or take. Since there has been no ransom demand and some of their credit cards have been taken, we're assuming this was a runaway case rather than a kidnapping." The social worker explained to the team members of 5-0.

"Damn better not be a kidnapping." Steve practically growled. 

"Commander-"

"Child abductions have a 36 hour window, and if the child isn't found within the first 24, chances of finding them alive are very, _very_ slim!" Steve barked. "Stiles has been gone a _week_ and people are barely realizing this now!" 

"The situation is a critical one, but we are investigating every angl-"

"This never would have happened if he'd just been returned to me! I know I may not be the poster boy for the perfect father, that belongs to Danno over there!" Steve exclaimed, gesturing to Danny who just nodded and gave a small wave and let Steve rant on. "But I made sure I knew where Stiles was every day! I made sure he had breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I made sure he got at least eight hours of sleep every night, I made sure he wore sun screen whenever he went out to play on the beach! I may not be the perfect parent, but I was the best for him!" 

The social worker was stunned into silence at Steve's heated declaration of love towards his ward. Then he turned and stormed out. 

"I'm going out to look for him!" Steve declared before anyone could stop him. No one did, Danny, Chin, and Lori just followed. 

* * *

 

"Stiles can't have gotten too far. He doesn't really know the island all that well." Danny said as they took a seat in front of Kamekona's food truck. 

"That's that worries me. Stiles is a clever boy but this is all too new and way too dangerous if he took any wrong turns." Steve replied. 

"So far you have all tried to find him thinking like adults and police men. That hasn't worked, has it?" Joe asked them all. When they all looked at him with curious expressions, he continued. "Stiles was a cop's kid, right?" 

"Yeah." Danny nodded, remembering how it was that part that saved him and Grace from that car-jacking.

"Well...a cop's kid that was taken from his home has been on the run. Where would he go?" Joe asked.

Before Steve, Danny, or Chin could offer any possibilities, Kamekona came up to them with a paper bag. 

"We already have our orders, big guy." Danny said. 

"Not for you. But it is delivery. Already paid for." Kamekona said in his 'mysterious' way. 

"Delivery?" Steve echoed.

"Yes. And here is the receipt." Kamekona handed it to Steve...'meaningfully' with a look and all, hell, even a wink was added. 

"Kamekona, I'm not paying for this." Steve said.

"Already paid for, brah." And with that he went back to his truck.

"That was...weird. Even for him." Danny commented.

"What's on the receipt, Steve?" Joe asked.

Steve looked at it but it wasn't anything to note. Then he turned it over and he tensed.

"What? What's with the face?" Danny demanded, already standing, knowing Steve was about to storm off. 

"I think I know how to find Stiles." And he was off, with the others following close behind...barely. 

* * *

 "This is ridiculous..." Danny muttered. "Why-?" He pushed away a branch away from him. " _How_ , would Stiles be out here!?"

"Danny, watch ou-" Steve tried to warn but too late. Danny activated a tripwire. But instead of an IED of the fiery kind...animal scrat was thrown in Danny's face. Steve, Chin, and Joe chuckled. 

"I like this kid." Joe stated. 

"I'm really debating where I stand..." Danny muttered as he wiped his face. 

"STEVE-O!" A blur came barreling through and tackle itself into the SEAL. 

Steve wrapped his arms around Stiles and spun him around, but then he caught on to what Stiles called him and placed him on the ground. "Steve-O?"

Stiles shrugged, "Uncle Danny's Danno, why can't you be Steve-O?"

Steve just laughed before pulling Stiles into another hug, "Okay, okay, I'm Steve-O. Does that mean you get an animal nickname too?"

"In time." Stiles smirked at him before nuzzling into Steve's hold. 

"Quite the impressive camp you've made yourself, kiddo." Joe commented from a few feet away. 

Steve, Danny, and Chin followed behind and saw that Stiles had indeed made himself a nice looking camp. 

"Rabbit's just about cooked. You guys hungry?" Stiles asked proudly.

"Um...I'm sorry, did you say _rabbit_?" Danny echoed.

"We'll pass, but Kamekona sends you lunch." Chin answered. 

"Oh, sweet! Did you bring me shaved ice?" Stiles asked.

"Um, no, but we brought coke." Danny answered.

"Oh. Well that works." Stiles led them to his camp sight and found somewhere to sit. There were already logs there, as if Stiles was expecting them. 

"Okay, kid...what happened?" Steve asked. 

Stiles shrugged as he munched on some of the shrimp products inside. "I got tired of being in that house. It sucked! So I left."

"Just like that?" Danny asked, trying to fathom how all of that could happen. 

"No, not exactly. First I had to case everything out. The first family I was with, nice people. Good home. But then I was moved. The second family is more of the example of people who just want to cash in to the 'free money' the government gives the parents for the foster kids they shelter. It was crowded, there wasn't much food, no one really paid me any attention. So...I grabbed a backpack, hoarded food until I have a decent amount, took a credit card and bailed." Stiles said.

"So..you went shoppin' and came out to camp?" Danny asked.

Stiles shook his head. "Nah. First thing cops do is follow the money. I needed to plan so I went to a motel first."

"He went to a motel....you played a _Home Alone 2_? Are you hearing this?" Danny demanded of his fellow peers.

"Let him finish the story, Danny." Steve said and then he nodded to Stiles to continue.

"Some people may be that stupid, but I didn't want to risk it. Kid asking for a room? Even in the sceeviest of motels draws attention." Stiles shook his head as if that was a really stupid idea, and it was. "I staked out a motel. One of those where the rooms are like an apartment. Well, you know, motel, not hotel. I waited hours to see which rooms weren't being checked into. I did sneak up into the lobby and saw the cleaning schedule. I had two days before they cleaned one of the empty-empty rooms. After that, I chose one, picked the window, searched it to make sure no one was using it. Stayed there and planned the next part." 

"Oh, okay, and what was the next part, pray tell!" Danny exclaimed, he looked around and saw how amused the other three men were. Unbelievable.

"Like I said. Following the money is cop 101. If I out right bought a tent and gear, the woods would be trampled over in search for me. And since I couldn't go to any of you guys since once the cops _did_ find out, they'd assume I'd head to any of your homes. I didn't want to get any of you in trouble. But I also knew I had to alert you guys somehow so you wouldn't worry. _Anyway_...I bought things. I bought stuff I could trade. Cameras, phones, bunch of other things. Then I went to a swap-o-rama and began to trade stuff. Sometimes I got actual things like canteens in exchange for a pair of top of the line radios. Then for like the Cameras I got cash, which I used to buy the tent. Then after that it was just making base and reaching out. I knew I could trust Kamekona to get the note to you...and since I bought a huge meal there and tipped really well, he was more than happy to for this!" Stiles said as he held up his packed lunch triumphantly. 

"...It's a family thing, it has to be." Danny shook his head incredulously. Then he turned to Steve. "Are you training him to be a SEAL?!"

Steve just smiled proudly, "No...but he's got what it takes to be one."

"So what's the plan now?" Stiles asked, looking at Steve expectantly. 

Steve shared a look with the others, and a particularly long look with Joe. Then Steve sighed as he knelt in front of Stiles, "I am... _very_ proud of you Stiles. But we have to do this right. I want you to come home, you know I do. But we can't hide. We _are_ the law...we're not above it. I messed up and I'm working to make things right."

"What are you saying?" Stiles asked quietly.

"I'm saying...we'll be a family again, I promise. But not like this. We go back...I make sure you're placed with a family who will take proper care of you. I continue to go to court, make my case, call in favors. We do this by the book." Steve told him sternly, but gently. 

"That's what dad used to say all the time...by the book. But what if the book is wrong? You're a good guy, Steve-O." Stiles mumbled.

"I know...and we'll correct the book. They thought I was guilty, but I wasn't. I was innocent and I got out of jail and got my badge back. And I'm gonna get you back too...promise." 

Stiles sighed, "Okay..."

* * *

 

"How'd the hearing go?" Danny asked Steve two days later.

"Well...the running away changed things. I'm not sure if it was in my favor or not. But considering all he did, I told them there won't be many who can handle someone like him." 

"Well, I was called a while ago and told one of my hearings was pushed up. So maybe that'll be something." Danny said, still doing _his_ best to get custody of Stiles, in case it may take long for Steve to be granted custody. 

"Good that's go-"

"STEVE-O!"

Danny and Steve turned their attention to the doors as Stiles ran in and crashed the SEAL's body. Steve picked him up and hugged him tightly. " _Stiles_!" 

"What...what are you doing here, tiger?" Danny asked.

"Hey, no, you can't name him, that's _my_ job!" Steve told him as he held Stiles in his arm and then kissed his cheek. Stiles giggled as Steve's beard tickled him. 

"Not important right now, Steven. Now, _tiger_ , what are you doing here?" Danny repeated. 

Steve glared lightly but then turned to Stiles and nodded, "Yeah, what are you doing here?"

"Well, looks like you met my new roommate." Lori spoke up. 

All of them turned to her and then Steve demanded, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Well, I had Chin tell me all that was going on and I made a few calls. I knew a few people and well...until everything is resolved, I'm a good candidate to be Stiles's foster parent." Lori explained. 

"I get to see you every day now, Steve-O!" Stiles said happily. 

"You did this?" Steve asked, setting Stiles down, who went to hug Danny properly. 

"Teams a team, right? From the Big Boss to the little one." Lori smiled at Stiles who was with Danny, Skyping with Grace. 

"I...I don't know what to say..." Steve stuttered.

"Just don't miss any hearings, and buy a new tie." Lori told him. 

Steve chuckled, "Nah. I'll just keep borrowing Danny's." 


End file.
